Supt. Antonietto Canete, chief of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force of the 5th and 6th districts of Negros Occidental, however, said they were able to arrest Jey-Jech Manzano, son of former Candoni Mayor Jechonias Manzano, at the suspected drug den in Sitio Sit-an, Brgy. East, Candoni, at about 3:50 a.m. yesterday.

Although Escalada was caught in the act of selling a sachet of suspected shabu to a poseur buyer at the suspected drug den he occupied, he managed to escape, leaving behind Manzano, several plastic sachets containing suspected shabu and its paraphernalia, P500 in marked money, eight live ammunition of 357 and caliber 38 revolvers, 9mm pistol and that of 12 gauge shotgun.

Meanwhile, two big heat sealed transparent plastic containing suspected shabu and a homemade shotgun with a live ammunition was recovered from Manzano, Villanobos said in his report to Senior Supt. William Señoron, officer-in-charge of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.

He claimed that Manzano allegedly helped Escalada in transacting drugs. But Villanobos clarified that Manzano is not included in their drug watch list, and Escalada ranked number one in the list.

The recovered suspected shabu was estimated to weigh 33 grams, with an estimated market value of P198,000.

The buy-bust operation was a joint effort of the Regional Special Operations Task Group of the Police Regional Office 18 headed by Supt. Maharlika Oscar Villasis, NOPPO AIDSOTG headed by Canete and the Candoni Police Station.

Villanobos said Manzano will be charged for violation of Section 11 of RA 9165, and Comelec gun ban, while Escalada faces charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of RA 9165.

On Feb. 4, Canete and his men also recovered about 47 grams of suspected shabu, with street market value estimated at P280,000, from an alleged drug den in Himamaylan City.*GPB